Wheel grapple



July 27, 1943. H. c. ESBECK 2,325,235

WHEEL GRAPPLE Filed April 27, 1942 INVENQTOR Ho rd 0.- Esbeck Patented July 27, 1943 linois I application April 27, 1942 Serial Na eta- 7251 1 1 3 16 Claims; (01. assess) The present invention relates generally to I hoists and the like, and is more particularly concerned with a new and improved form. of wheelengaging grapple 'particularlyradapted for use with wagon-or truck dumps; I

The object and :general nature of this invention is the provision of a wheelwgrapple having manually controlled means -'engageable,=with the lower portion of the associated 'wheelof a grain Wagon or truck forholding the-grapple in gengagement with the wheel of the wagonori truck, not only when the lifting, cable is raising .the wheelbut also when the lifting cableuis slack. Further, it is a feature of this invention to .provide a grapple -having -tire-engaging parts slL'ftable to a position to facilitate moving thegrapple into place and then holding the grapple in engaged position to prevent the grapple from falling away from the wheel when the lifting cable is slack and to hold the wheel on the ggrap ple during the raising and dumping operations.

Another featureof the .presentinvention is the provision of a grapple havingwheel-engaging-sec tions that may be swungirom a position facilitating the placing of the -grapple- ;.against the wheel intoa position in which the grapple and wheel are held in engagement. l t is alsoa tea.- ture of this invention to provide agrapple-hav ing tire-engaging parts which are movable and, while entirely adequate for holding the-grapple engaged with the wheel, do not interfere with placing the grapple imposition, eventhough I the wheel is disposed in a rut or sort aground, Niore particularly, it iS -a feature of this-invention. to

provide a wheelgrapple having a pair-of rockl ably mounted membersat the lower end that are spaced close enough together tosecure a firm engagement withthe lower portion ofthe wheel but which are ada-pted to be swung into a-position to clear the wheel when applying 1th egrapple. Further, it is aqfeature of this invention to provide means for manually controlling the trucks with renders that :everhang' the wheels.

Another feature of this invention 1is'.t1iep1ovision :of a grapple flzh'avlng docking. tarm's which are iheldfiin wheel-engaging 'melation zby the pres surezofthe wheel thereaga'inst. a 1 1 These and othenobjects an advantages, of

the present "invention will be apparent :to :those skilled inthe iart rafter 81 consideration of the following detailed descniptlon, .ataken. sin' 'ccnj nn'ction with the accompanying ;.dizawing in which swingable parts that-hold -'the -;;g-r app1e engaged Y withthe wheel. I I

Another importa t-ieature of the .present invention is the provision of a wheel grapple which does not-requireqadjustment but fist-adapted to support different sizes of wheels. I Further, it is a feature 'of this linventiontoprovidea-grapple having means to engage the upper portion of wheels of different sizesior thepur-pese-oi; hold ing the upper part; of the grapple laterally outwardly away from 1 the wagon; or truck :body so as to prevent :the flitting fx'cable zirom damaging it. is. particularly eimpoiitant Whenihoisting theipreferred :formrdf the invention' haslbeen illuslnithe drawing-z, Figurecl is aside view of azportionxof :a::hoist in which the .iprincipl'es of the :present invention havev been incorporated, ishowing' the locking mechanism :in opentposition'; Figure 2 :is an end. wiew =-of the Wheel {grapple shown inFigure 1;:and. wf Figure 3 is a view-taken tgenerally along the line -3-3 of liigure :2, but with the mechanism setin lockinggposition. a

I -Referring nowto the drawing the wheel grapplethat forms the subject '(matter of 'the present invention isimiicated in its'entirety by the ref: erence numeral l and is suspended by a cable'2 anda link 3 from a vehicle hoist i of conventional construction; The details of t he hoist itself are notshown in theqdrawing-since theydanot form any part-of the present invention. -It-is to he understood that a conventional hoist .for agriculetural wagons and trucks commonlyinclude lifting mechanism and a .pair .of wheel engaging elements for engagingthe front wheels'of a truck or wagon :soas toraise the front end thereof, whereby the material inthewagon or truckdise charges therefrom by gravity. I M echanism of this kindis oommonly used'withtportable or stationary elevators fonelevating grain and'other crops into bins or ,other places of storage. I

The wheel grapple l comprises a support fiin the form Oran-inverted v shaped bar having legs 6. and l and laterally .-inwardl y-,directed extene sions :3 atthe lower ends or thelegs 5 and l. The member 5 also includesta, lower transverse bar 9, forming a generally triangularfframe, the upper apex ofwhichjs =suspended bythe tlinkllii from the cable ,2 land the :lower lapices carrying let ralaex n t Y i I Mountedon'reach" of :the lateral extensions I 3 is a wheel-engaging sleeve member M rotatable on the aSS0CiEt6d XtnSiOn -18 and held in ,place thereon by ai eotter N ortthellike. rEachimerne ber l2 includes attitsdhnenend aggenerallyiradially inwardly extending 'tire'mngaging member or part l4. At its outer end each sleeve l2 has a radially upwardly extending arm section It to each of which the outer end of a link ll is pivotally connected. A hand lever I9 is pivoted, as at 2|, to the middle portion of the lower bar 9, and the two links I! are pivotally connected to the lever l9, as indicated at 23. A pair of Wheel-engagingbrackets 26 and .21 are fixed, respectively, to the legs 6 and lot the frame 5. The tire of the vehicle to be hoisted is indicated in the drawing by the reference numeral 30 and, as shown, is represented as a pneumatic tire of a truck T. s

The operation of my improved wheel grapple is substantially as follows.

The lateral spacing between the extensions 8 and the rockable wheel engaging members I2 is such that when they are inthe open position shown in Figure l, the grapple 1 maybe lowered while the truck is standing with the'wheel '30 supporting its normal load, and when the parts reach the positions shown in Figure 1, the grapple I may be moved laterally inwardly to ,carry" the wheel supporting members 12 underneath the lower part of the wheel and at oppositesides of the ground contacting portion thereof, until the brackets '26 and 21 engage the upper and outer side. of..the wheel 30, thereby terminating further lateral inward movement; Atthis point the handle I9v may .be swung from the position :1

shown in Figure .1 .to the locking position shown in Figure 3, which causes the lugs or extensions H on the members I2 to swing toward one another substantially into a radi'al'position with respect to the the '30, as is shown in Figure 3. Thus, there is little likelihood of the wheel and grapple becoming disengaged, even before or after the lifting cables havebeentightened. It is particularly importantto swing th'e arms or extensions I4 over into the position shown in Figure 3 after first applyin'gthe" grapple to the wheel. This serves to prevent the grapple from falling outwardly while the cable 2 is slack. Also, after both grapples have been engaged, and

'the hoistingmechanism operated, the arms 14 hold the Wheels in place in the grapples. -The brackets 26 are extended laterally (see Figure 2) a distance sufficient toinsure that the upper part of the grapple support '5'and the cables, andlink will beheld away fromthe fenders of the truck 'or other vehicle} Also, the brackets 26 and 2'! are of sufficient vertical length to receive wheels of different sizes. I 21 are provided with openings 31 whereby, if

necessary, auxiliary members; such as straps or i boards, may be bolted to' the brackets so as to receive smaller or' larger wheels than can be accommodated by the brackets 26 and '21 without such additions; After the load has been dumped and the hoist lowered, it is a simple matter to disengagethe grapple, which is done merely by swinging the" lever 19' over into the position shown in Figure -'1, in which'the grapple may be swung away-from the truck T. The lever I9 may be operated by hand but preferably it is operated bythe'f'oot, which may be done easily and conveniently without stooping.

While Ihave'shown 'anddescribed'above the preferred structure in whichthe principles of the presentinventionhave been incorporated, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the particular details shownand described above, but that, in factfwidely" different means may be employedin the practice of the broader aspects of my invention. l

The brackets 26 and said members for holding the with respect to said wheel- What I claim, therefore, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hoist or the like, a grapple including a frame, a pair of laterally extending wheel engaging members movably mounted on said frame,

. ward movement of said grapple serves to lift said wheel to another position in which said parts engage the inner side of the wheel and prevent,

the latter from beingdisengaged from the wheel engaging members.

2. A wheel-engaging grapplecomprising a support, a pair of spaced apart wheel-engaging members carried: at the lower portion of said support and adapted to engage a wheel at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion thereof, and means movablymounted on the ends of grapple in place 3. A Wheel-engaging grapple comprising a rigid support adapted to be disposed against the outer side of a wheel,- a pair ofspaced apartmembers at'the lower end'of said supportand adapted to be disposed underneath the wheel at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion thereof, and means engaging the lower part of the wheel for holding the-latter on said members. 7 4. A wheel-engaging grapple comprising asup port having a pair of spacedapart laterally inwardly directed portions adapted'to be engaged with the lower part of a wheel at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion thereof, and means on the-laterally inner end of at least one of said portions and swingable relative thereto into a position behind-the lower portion of the wheel for holding the latter in place. 5. A wheel-engaging grapple comprising a support having laterally'inwardlyextending spaced apartmembers adapted to'be'passed laterally inwardly under a wheel and at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion thereof, a pair of rotatable parts mounted; respectively, on said laterally inwardly directed members, and an extension on the inner end of each of said members and adapted when the latter are turned to be disposed behind the wheel for holding it in place. r

6. A wheel-engaging grapple comprising a support having laterally inwardly extending spaced apart-members adapted to be passed laterally inwardlyunder a wheel and at opposite sides of theground contacting portionthereof, a pair oi sions into a position behind the wheel.

7. A wheel-engaging grapple comprising a support having "a pair of laterally inwardly directed portions spaced apart so I as 'to pass underneath a wheel at opposite sides of the' ground contacting portion thereof, and a pair'of rockably mounted wheel-engagingmembers carried by said laterally inwardly directed portions. I

8. A'wheel-engaging grapple 'comprisin'ga support having'a pair of laterally inwardly directed.

portions spaced apart so as to pass underneath a'wheel at opposite sides' of thetground. contacte ing portion thereof-,ia pair. of rockably mounted Wheel-engaging members carried by said laterally inwardly directed portions, and means accessiblev at the outer side of said support for rocking said wheel engaging members.

9. A wheel-engaging grapple comprising a sup,- port having a pair of laterally inwardly directed wheel carrying extensions spaced apart so as to be passed underneath the wheel at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion thereof, and means swingably mounted on one of said extensions for holding the wheel in place on said extensions.

10. A wheel-engaging and lifting member for wagon and truck dumps and the iike, comprising a pair of spaced apart elements adapted to be moved laterally into engagement with a wheel at opposite sides of the portion in contact with the ground, and a pair of rotatable members for holding said wheel against displacement from said elements.

11. A wheel grapple comprising a generally inverted V-shaped support, wheel engagingpartsat the lower ends of said. support, a pair of parts secured rigidly to said generally inverted V- shaped support for engaging the side of a wheel to hold the latter in position against displacement in one direction relative to the grapple, and means swingably mounted at the lower ends of said support for movement into a position behind for holding the grapple engagedtherewith, said rotatable members being adapted to be shifted into and held in the engagedposition by the pres? sure ofxthe tire against said rotatablemembers. when the wheel'is hoisted.

14. A wheel-engaging grapple comp'risingas up- 7 port having apair of laterally inwardly directed wheel carrying extensions spaced apart so as to p be passedunderneath the wheel at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion thereof, a-sleeve member rotatably mounted on one of said lateral-i 1' 1y inwardly directed extensions, and. means on said sleeve member for holding the grapple en- I gaged with the wheeli 15. A wheel engaging grapple comprising a rigid support having a portion adapted to ,be disposed outside a wheel and wheel supporting parts rigidly associated with said outside portion and adapted to be shifted under the lower side of said wheel at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion by moving said support toward the wheel, and locking means carried on said support and movable relative thereto into locking engagement with the lower portion of said wheel.

16. A wheel engaging grapple'comprising a rigid support having a portion. adapted to be disposed outside a wheel and wheel supporting parts rigidly associated with said outside portion and adapted to-be shifted under the lower side of said wheel at opposite sides of the ground contacting portion bymoving said support toward the wheel, locking means carried on said support and movable relative thereto into locking engagement with the lowerportion of said wheel, and spacing means rigidly fixed to thexupper portion of said suppcrtand engageable with the wheel to hold the support away from the top side ofthe wheel.

HOWARD c, ESBECK.

v 3 f f pneumatic tire, and arms onsaid rotatable mem- I bers swingable into a position behind the wheel 

